Home Improvement : Special Nails Used for Tiles on Wooden Base
QUESTION: I plan to install resilient floor tiles on a wooden floor. I have tightened a few loose boards and otherwise prepared it for the tile, but after reading a couple of publications, I have decided to put down hardboard underlayment to serve as a base for the tiles. Are there any special nails that must be used for attaching the underlayment?
ANSWER: When you buy the underlayment, ask the dealer to sell you the special coated nails that should be used for the attachment. These should be spaced about 6 inches apart. The sheets of underlayment should not be butted tightly against each other. Allow a tiny space between them, about one-sixteenth of an inch or so.
Measuring Windows for Replacing Panes
Q: I have to replace the panes in several windows of our house. I did this about 15 years ago and remember the difficulty I had in cutting the glass to size, although everything else seemed to work all right. This time I expect to have the glass cut at a hardware store or similar place, but I will do the rest of the work myself. Is there something special I should know about taking the measurements for the glass?
A: Two things. One is that each window frame might not be identical, so measure all four sides of each frame separately. The second is the measurement should be about one-sixteenth of an inch smaller than the actual size of the channels into which the glass will fit.
Do You Need Permit to Do Plumbing Job?
Q: We have moved into an old house, and I will have to do some plumbing work. Is it necessary to get a permit to do this?
A: Check with your town authorities. In most places, a permit is required to work on plumbing. Even when it is permitted and you can handle the job, the town will insist that a plumbing inspector be called in. Before you go to town hall to find out the details, have some kind of outline on exactly the kind of work you will be doing.
Where Should Room Addition to House Go?
Q: I expect to add an extra room to our house. I haven’t decided yet whether to attempt it myself with the aid of my two sons or hire a contractor. Is it better to put the addition onto the house at the side or at the back?
A: Most additions of that nature are at the rear, but you may have little choice on the matter. First see what the local regulations are and obtain the necessary permit. The regulations will tell you where the extra room can be added and sometimes even the kind of materials that can be used.
In such work, it is important to see the addition blends in with the rest of the house. If it doesn’t, it will stand out conspicuously and might just as well be marked: “This is something we just tacked on.”
Solar Energy Stored in Different Ways
Q: I am thinking about having our house altered to permit solar energy to take over. What is the method by which the heat is stored to be released when necessary?
A: Not sure what you mean by “to take over.” Solar energy is effective or partly effective according to the conditions that exist, among them where you live. Investigate everything in detail.
Heat is stored by a number of methods. Among them is a storage unit that holds rocks or pebble beds. There are many other storage systems as well as types of solar collectors and ways of distribution. Get some professional help before you decide on what is to be done.
Attaching Screen Mesh to Frames Quite Easy
Q: Some of our screens need repairs. Some years ago, in another house, I put new mesh into the wooden frames of the units, stapling the mesh into place. This time we have screens with metal frames. I find the mesh is held in place with strips of rubber. Can this be handled by a do-it-yourselfer?
A: The strips of rubber or plastic are called splines. Just push them into the grooves over the edges of the mesh and you will get a kind of automatic tight fit. You will get the hang of it very quickly and find the whole procedure fairly simple.
When you buy the mesh, get a spline roller, which will make it easy to push the splines into the grooves. The replacement mesh must be a couple of inches longer than the frame all around.
One Way to Check Place of Roof Leak
Q: I have read how difficult it is to tell which exact spot on a roof is responsible for a leak. That’s right most of the time, but a neighbor helped me find the source of a roof leak without any trouble. He merely went into the attic on a sunny day, saw a trace of light coming through and ran a wire up through the opening. It then was easy to spot the wire from the top side of the roof. I thought your readers might be interested in this method.
A: Many thanks. That’s an old-time method that sometimes works and sometimes doesn’t. But if the sun is shining on your roof at the time you make an inspection--or even if there is sufficient light without any sun--it often will work. People are usually surprised to find that the tiny opening in the roof is a considerable distance away from where water shows up on the inside.
The techniques of using varnish, shellac, lacquer, stain, sealer, bleach, remover, etc., are detailed in Andy Lang’s booklet, “Wood Finishing in the Home,” which can be obtained by sending $1 to Know-How, P.0. Box 477, Huntington, N.Y. 11743. Questions of general interest will be answered in the column.